The present invention relates to a grab handle for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
Grab handles are common in motor vehicles. For example, in a motor car, there may be three grab handles inside the passenger compartment projecting in use generally downwards from the headlining above three passenger doors. Unfortunately, the grab handles can restrict the head space inside the passenger compartment. Therefore, it is known to provide a grab handle which is hinged to the passenger compartment ceiling, and spring loaded so as to retract against the headlining when not in use. A passenger may then pull the grab handle downward and hold on to this as required during travel within the motor vehicle or when entering into or exiting from the motor vehicle. However, it can often be difficult to grab hold of such a grab handle when a passenger enters the vehicle.
One problem with such retracting hinged grab handles is that there is an inevitable compromise between how flush the grab handle is with the headlining, and how easy it is for a passenger to grab hold of the grab handle. Although a passenger may have plenty of time to grab hold of the grab handle, when entering into or leaving from the passenger compartment, it may be more difficult to pull down the grab handle quickly while the vehicle is moving, as may be required if the vehicle suddenly corners.
Wherefore it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above noted drawbacks associated with the prior art grab handles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a more convenient grab handle for a motor vehicle.
Accordingly, the invention provides a motor vehicle comprising: a grab handle; a surface within a compartment of the vehicle, the surface extending about the grab handle; a handle support, the grab handle being movably attached to the support so that the grab handle may be extended away from the surface to an extended position or retracted toward the surface to a retracted position; a proximity sensor for sensing the presence of a hand near the grab handle; and an actuator for moving the grab handle, the actuator being responsive to the proximity sensor; wherein the actuator automatically extends the grab handle when the proximity sensor senses the presence of a hand near the grab handle.
The grab handle is, therefore, automatically made available when it is needed. In addition, there is no need for a button or some other form of manual release to extend the grab handle. This is convenient for users of a grab handle, particularly at night when is may be difficult to see, touch or activate such a manual release mechanism.
Preferably, the actuator also automatically retracts the grab handle when the proximity sensor does not sense the presence of a hand near the grab handle.
The surface may be within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, or other vehicle compartment, such as the car""s trunk. If the grab handle is above a seated passenger, then the grab handle may be above a door or a window, extending generally downward from a headlining. Other examples of grab handles are handles in the backs of seats, or extending from a pillar that extend to the roof of the vehicle.
The proximity sensor may be incorporated in a surface adjacent the grab handle, but preferably the proximity sensor is located within the grab handle.
The support may be a structural member of the motor vehicle, for example a roof panel or a side pillar extending to the roof. The support may, however, be a solid but non-structural component, such as a seat back for example.
The actuator may be electrically powered in both directions of movement. According to one embodiment of the invention, however, the actuator is electrically powered in just one direction, and then returned in the opposite direction under the action of a mechanically or pneumatically powered actuator which stores energy from the electrically powered motion, and which applies a biasing force to the grab handle.
In one embodiment, the actuator is electrically powered, for example by a small electrical motor or a solenoid, to drive the grab handle toward the retracted position when the proximity sensor no longer senses the presence of a hand near the grab handle. It is not necessary for the actuator to be electrically powered in the opposite direction. For example, the actuator may bias the grab handle toward the extended position with the grab handle being retained in the retracted position by a retention mechanism which is released when the proximity sensor senses a hand is near the grab handle.
According to another embodiment, the actuator is electrically powered to drive the grab handle toward its extended position when the proximity sensor senses the presence of a hand near the grab handle. Once this has occurred, the actuator then biases the grab handle toward the retracted position while the grab handle is retained in the extended position by a retention mechanism and the retention mechanism releases the grab handle when the proximity sensor no longer senses a hand near the grab handle for a predetermined period of time.
The bias may be a spring bias provided by a spring mechanism that is loaded by the electrically powered movement toward either the retracted position or the extended position. A spring can therefore be used to store energy from an electrical motor used to extend the grab handle when use of the grab handle is desired.
The retention mechanism may be a catch, which is automatically released in response to the presence or the absence of a hand detected by the proximity sensor.
In either case, the actuator may comprise a damper to control movement of the grab handle toward the extended position or the retracted position under the action of the biasing force.
The actuator need not, however, be automatically moved in both directions. For example, if the grab handle is automatically moved to the extended position, then the grab handle may be manually retracted by pressing the grab handle toward the surface. This may allow some cost savings in the construction of the actuator.
If the actuator both automatically extends the grab handle, when the proximity sensor senses the presence of a hand near the grab handle, and automatically retracts the grab handle, when the proximity sensor does not sense the presence of a hand near the grab handle, preferably the extension of the grab handle is quicker than the retraction of the grab handle. This has the advantage that the grab handle is quickly made available when it is needed by a passenger, and reduces the possibility that some object may inadvertently be trapped behind the grab handle when this is being retracted, by giving additional time for the object to be removed.
One advantage to biasing the grab handle into the retracted position is that the retraction motion can be essentially passive. Therefore, if a hand or other object is located behind the grab handle, when it is being retracted, the force that can be applied is limited. This essentially eliminates the possibility of on a hand, object or other item being trapped by the automatic retraction motion of the grab handle.
The grab handle can be made flush with the surface when the grab handle is in the retracted position. This prevents the grab handle from being manually pulled out to an extended position. The flush arrangement may also provide some safety benefit because of the possible risk associated with any object projecting into a passenger compartment against which a passenger may come into contact during a collision.
The grab handle can be designed to retract as soon as a hand is no longer sensed proximate to the grab handle, but it is preferable to avoid premature retraction of the grab handle during a time interval, following removal of the hand from grab handle, during which a person may again wish to grab hold of the grab handle again. Therefore, the grab handle is preferably moved to the retracted position only once the sensor no longer senses a hand near the grab handle for a predetermined time delay. The time delay may be between about one to ten seconds, or so.
The time delay may be lengthened for situations where a passenger is likely to grab hold of the grab handle, for example when a door located near the grab handle is opened during the time delay.